Wheeled attachment for hand trucks



Sept. 30, 1952 H. E. SCHUTZER ET AL 2,612,336

- WHEELED ATTACHMENT FOR HAND TRUCKS Filed May 20, 1948 2 SHEETSSHEET l Sept. 30, 1952 H. E. SCHUTZER ET AL WHEELED ATTACHMENT FOR HAND TRUCKS 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Filed May 20, 1948 www ww ww 1% ATTORNEYS position for transport.

Patented Sept. 30, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT" OFFICE WHEELED ATTACHMENT FOR HAND. TRUCKS I I Henry E. .Schutz'er, New York, and 1111 1019110.

Frohner, Brooklyn, N. Y.,assignors to Oxygen EquipmentM'tg. (30., a corporation of New or-a -Application.May20, 1948; Serial No. 28,123

Claims.

This invention relates to hand trucks more particularly of the type used to transport cylinders of compressed gas. 1

It is among the objects of the invention to provide a hand truck that is neat, relatively compact and light in'weight of but few relatively inexpensive parts of substantially onlyfiat and tubular stock, which parts may readily be assembled and are not likely to get out of order,

that will enable a cylindrical tank to be placedthereon with but a minimum of exertion and will support such tank in anuprig'ht position when in use, and when so supporting such tank will do 'so without danger of the latter tilting and falling, which truck may readily be adjusted with the cylindricaltank thereon, so that the latter is rearwardly inclined to 'facilitate'transport thereof from place to place, and which adjustment'may'be accomplished without danger of collapse of the hand truck, which will remain in inclinedposition withoutany. exertion or strain on the"par.tj of the user', that may readily be moved from place to place with but the minimum of effort and Whenjde'sired' may be adjusted .so as to occupy butzajminimum' of space to facilitate storage -o f'-the' hand truck 'orj'its use in asmall space and 'also'toenable it who used in the manher of a conventional two-wheeled hand truck.'

'llccording to the invention the hand truck comprises a carriage and a cradle pivotally mountedthereon and arranged to be either in upright position for service or in inclined cradling I The cradle is selectively maintained in one or the, other of said positions by an adjustabl'e -brace connected between the cradle and the carriage and having a slidable adjustment along'one of the same, a safety stop limiting the position of the brace for defining the inclination of the cradlein transport position. In a preferred embodiment it is the cradle that carries the slidable end of the brace and that has the safety stop. Preferably the truck affords means to permit pivoting the carriage in-E ward to lieagainst the cradle for storage or shipping of the truck.' To permit 'slida'ble displacement of the brace end to the latter position the safety stop is movable out of the path of "ob struction. Such removability may be effected by hand but preferably is automatically controlled by actuator means moved into safety-stop releasing position by contact thereof with the floor when in vertical position.

'Inthe accompanying drawings in which are shown one or more of various possible embodiments of the several features of the invention,

1 is a side elevational'view of the hand truck showing the latter in full lines with the support frame acting as a stabilizer and in dot and dash lines with the cradle in inclined or transport position, j I

Fig. 2 is a view similarto 1 showing the support framein inoperative position,

Fig. 3 is aplan yiew of the hand truck shown "in full 'linesinFig. 1, r v I iis a sectional view on a larger scale taken .along .line 4--4 :of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is ,a sectional view of a detail on ;a greatly enlarged scale, taken along line -5-5 of Pi 1.

inferring now to the drawings, the hand truck comprises a cradle including a substantially U- shaped framefl2, preferably of tubular stock "such as steel, aluminum alloy or other strong rigid metal, the upper end of the legs l5 of which are rearwardly inclinedas at I 3 so that the cross piece 14 thereof forms a handle.

The legs l5 of the frame 12 are 'a-flixed at their lower ends 'as by weldingas at I9, to the upright side walls 16 of a substantially U -shaped base [1, the cross piece I l of said base extending slightly beyond the forward edges 20 of said wa-llsas at 18.

' Affixed to the legs l5o'f the frame as by welding' as at 24 and extending therebetween at right angles thereto, are 'concavecross' bars 2| and 22 also preferably of tubular stock and positioned parallel to one another and spaced along said legs [5, the frame l2, concave cross bars 2-1 :and 22, and base I! forming a cradle for the cylindrical tank 23 as shown in the drawings.

In order to "retain tank 23 on its base I! against cross bars 2| and 22, a retaining strap 26 is preferably provided, afiixedat each end respectimely to legs 15 as at 21 and provided with a buckle 29 to'facilitate adjustment of the length of the strap so that it may be used for different diameter tanks. v

- The hand truck has an axle 33 journalled in transverselyaligned openings 34 through the rear of the upright'walls [6 near the upper edge thereof and mounting at each protruding end thereof,

a wheel 35 preferably having a pneumatic puncture proof rubber tire thereon. The rear edge 30 of each of said walls ['6 slopes inwardly -to crosspiece l'l,-as.shown in Fig. 4, for the purpose hereinafter set-forth. I

Extending ,rearwardly from the cradle is a substantially U'-shaped support frame 38, the free ends ofthe legs 39 of which straddle'wheels 35 and are; pivotally connected to the respective ends of axle 33 as at 49. Afiixed by screws 4| at each corner of support frame 38 adjacent cross bar 42 thereof, is a, bracket 43 which mounts a caster 45, preferably in a ball bearing '46, to facilitate swiveling of such caster through an arc of 360 degrees. Thusthe frame 38 with casters 45 thereon and theaxle 33 with wheels 35 serve as a carriage for the cradle to facilitate movement thereof.

In order to retain the pivoted support frame 38 in'fixed position with respect to the cradle,"

a tube 41 is provided extending parallel to and midway between the legs I5 of the cradle and afiixed as by welding as at 4.8 to the rear of cross pieces 2| and 22 at the center thereof:

A latch mechanism is provided comprising a 4 lower end thereof into bore 11 and is aligned with the bore 84 of bushing 15.

Slidably mounted in bores 83 and 84 of bushings 16 and 15, respectively, is an actuating rod 81, the upper end of which is conical as at 88 to conform to a complementar conical depression 89 in the underface of stop 19. I

The length of actuating rod 81 is such that with the lower end 9| thereof flush with the under side of the cross Piece II of base I1 and "resting on floor 85, the conical upper end 88 thereof will be seated in conical depression 89 as shown in Fig. 4. Actuating rod 81 near its lower end 9|"has a collar 92 affixed thereon by sleeve 49, encompassing tube 41 and slidably 59 in said cap 52 and having a knob 51afiixed on said outer end to facilitate the actuation of said latch pin. A coil spring 6| i positioned in bore 53, encompassing latch pin 56. The spring is compressed between a collar 58 rigidly afilxed to latch pin 56 in bore 53 adjacent shoulder 55,'and the inturned flange 62 about opening 59 of cap 52, thereby normally urging said latch pintoward tube 41, shoulder 55 limiting the inward movement of said latch pin.

As shown in Fig. 4, the latch pin 58 is of such length that with collar 58 seated against shoulder 55, the inner end 64 of the pin can enter one of the adjustment openings 65, 66-or ,61, provided in tube 41 for the purpose hereinafter set forth,

.a set screw 93. The collar is so spaced from such lower end 9| that when it is seated on bushing 15, the tip 99 of the conical end 88 of actuating rod 81will be abutting against the bottom of the inclined wall-86 of the conical depression 89 in stop 19 as shown in Fig. '5, thereby retaining said stop 19 in bore'11, yet with the end 94 thereof extending through opening18 in tube 41.

thereby securely retaining sleeve 49 in a selected position on tube 41.

Aligned with the nipple 5|, near the lower end of sleeve 49 and rigid therewith, is an ear 68 to which is pivotally connected as at 69 one end of each of a pair of braces 1| and 12 which diverge from said ear 68 and are pivotally connected at their other ends as at 13 to the corners of the support frame 38 adjacent the ends of the cross piece 42 thereof.

To limit the movement of sleeve 49 on tube 41 when the hand truck is adjusted from the position shown in full lines in Fig. l to the position shown in clot and dash lines, a. safety stop has been incorporated in the device. To this end, the lowerend 14 of the tube 41, which is substantially flush with the cross piece II of base I1 has a bushing 15 affixed therein by set screw 16'. A second bushing 15 is also provided, affixed as by force fit in tube 41 :above bushing 15 and spaced from the latter by approximately threequarters of the length of the tube 41.

Bushing 16-has a transverse bore 11 therethrough aligned with an opening 18 of corresponding diameter in the wall of tube 41. A plunger or stop 19 is slidably mourlted'in' transverse bore 11 and normally urged through opening 18 in tube 41 by a coil spring 8| seated in said bore 11 between the inner end 82 of the stop '19 and the wall of the tube 41. Bushing 16 also has a vertical bore 83 which extends through the In order to urge the actuating" rod downward, a'coil spring 95 is provided encompassing actuating rod 81, seated at its upper end against the underface of bushing 19 as at 96 and at its lower end against collar 91 aifixed t0 rod 81 by set screw 98..

Operation To use the hand truck with the support frame 38 in the position shown in Fig. l, with the cross piece I I of base I 1 resting on the floor 85, a cylindrical tank 23 may readily be placed on base I1 in upright po ition against the concave cross bars'2 I and 22 and secured inplace by tightening strap 26.

With cross piece I I of base I1 against the floor as shown in Fig. 4, .theend 9| of the actuator rod 81 will, also be against the iloor and hence actuator rod 81 will have been moved upwardly in tube 41 against. the tension of coil spring 95. As a consequence, the conical end 88 of the rod 81will have been forced into} the conical depression 89 in stop 19 from the position shown in Fig. 5 to the position shown inFig. .4, therebycamming said stop inwardly into bore 11 against the tension of coil spring 8| until the protruding end 94 of stop 19 is flush with thewall of tube 41.

In order to transport the tank 23 which is best accomplished when the cradle isin the position shown in dot, and dash lines in Fig. 1, knob 51 of the latch mechanismispulled to withdraw the end 64 of latch pin 56 from opening 61 in which it is normally positioned when the cradle is in upright position as shown in Fig. 4. Simultaneously the cradle is pivoted about axle 3.3 by pulling back on handlel4. As the rear edges 30 of the side walls I6 are inclined inwardly as shown in Fig. 4, the lower rear corners 99 thereof will readily clear the floor as the base I1 is piv-.- oted about axle 33, and hence will not impede the pivoting of the cradle to transport position.

With the latch pin withdrawn, sleeve 49 may readily be moved upwardly along tube 41 until latch pin 56 is aligned with opening 66 therein at which point the end 64 of the latch pin will snap into opening 66 under the urging of tensed coilspring 6|. As the base I1 is movedaway from the floor 85 during pivoting of the cradle about axle 33, the lower end 14 of tube 41 will also be moved from the floor, thereby enabling spring to force actuator rod 81 downward until collar 92 rests on bushing 15.

In' so moving, the conical end 88 of the actuatoirod will be withdrawn from co'nical depreslatch "pin St-shouldhave failed to enter opening -85, there would be nothing to prevent sleeve 49 :from'riding to the top or tube 4-1. As the tank 23 is -of"'considera'bleweight, it would take -a -great deal of strength on :the part of the operato'r 'to hold the cradle :in inclined position, a the support frame- 38 would not be .regidly aflixed with respect to the cradle and hence would give no support.

If the operator should .not be; possessed of such required strength, which is likely when. the ;hand '-truck"is used by female nurses in a hospital to transport tanks of "oxygen, the hand :truckmight .collaps'e :against the nurse and .in addition the timpa'ct of the oxygen-tank on theifloorzmig'ht .re-

sult in an explosion with resultant-injury to the nurse and to bystanders.

Such dangers are completely eliminated by the provision of stop 19 above described. For when i the cradle is moved to inclined position and the sleeve 49 slides along the tube 41, it will abut against the stop as at 1.00 as shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 1 and also .in Fig. 5, and thus prevent further movement of the sleeve 49 and rigidly retainthe support frame 38in place with respe'ctiio the cradle. The stop 19 is 'so :positioned in the tube 41 that when sleeve 49 abuts .thereagainst as at I00, the .end '64 of latch pin (56 will .be aligned with opening 66 in the tube 4.'l:and forced therein by coil spring 6 l.

"The truck when .in the transport position :shown indot and dash lines .in Fig. 1 may readily be moved :from place to :place, the casters 4,5, which may be swiveled in a 360 degree are and which are mounted in ball bearings 46, permitting ready maneuverability of the truck with but the minimum of exertion on the part or the operator.

In hospital use of oxygen tanks, it is desirable that the tank be in upright position when in use to facilitate mounting the regulating valves (not shown) on the top of the tank. To this end, after the hand truck has been moved to the desired position, usually beside the bed of apatient, the operator need merely pull on knob 51 to withdraw the end 64 of latch pin 56 from opening 66 while at the same time pushing on handle [4 to pivot the cradle to upright position.

As the end 94 of stop 19 will be abutting against sleeve 49, there will be no danger of the latter sliding up tube 41, resulting in the possible collapse of the hand truck with the consequent dangers heretofore described. The end 94 of stop 19 will protrude from tube 41 until the cross piece I l of base I! is resting on the floor, at which time the cradle will be in an upright, stable position and only then will actuating rod 81 be moved upwardly to retract stop 19 in the manner heretofore described. With the cradle in such up-. right position and with support frame 38 sub-' stantially parallel to the floor 85, the casters 45 will also rest on the floor and latch pin 56 will be aligned with opening 61 and enter the latter as shown in Fig. 4, securely to retain the support frame 38 in position with respect to the cradle. The support frame when in such position with respect to the cradle will act as a stabilizer and prevent the tank 23 from tilting and falling, and injury to the nurse and bystanders is avoided.

Iifit is desired tosto're orto use the handtruck in a limited space or to use it to transport arfticles 'in the manner of a conventional twowheeled hand truck,'the, support frame 38' may be pivotedupwardly about axle 33 so that it is substar'itially parallel to the cradle as shown in Fig. 2. -'Tothisrend, with the cradle in upright -position, the user need mereh pull on' knob 5-! to withdraw latch pin '56 from opening 61 vand slidesleeve 49 to thetop of tube 41 sothatlatch pin 56 is-aligned with opening 65 whereupon the cylindrical tank, the same principles hereinset "forth couldfbe applied to a hand 'truckiadap-ted 'to :carry a plurality :of cylindrical tanks or 1 to a Lhand-truckadapted to carry-trunks, boxes, packages .or=other articles. I

Thus'by the construction herein described, an

efficient hand truck has been provide' dith'at may be used in hospitals, factoriesQrailroaJd stations,

hotels or similar establishments where it is =necessary to transport heavy articles from place-to place and such "transport-maybe accomplished without :danger of injury to the operator and :withbut the minimumamount 'of 'exertiom- As many changes could be'made inzthe above construction .and many apparently widely different embodiments of-this inventionacouldbeimade without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all :mattervcontained in' th'e above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A hand truck comprising a cradle, wheels rotatably mounted at the lower end of said cradle, support means connected to said cradle and pivotally displaceable with respect thereto, wheel means on said support means, a track comprising a hollow tube extending longitudinally of said cradle and rigid therewith, a sleeve slidably mounted on said tube and operatively connected to said support means to displace the latter with respect to said cradle, whereby said cradle may be moved to an inclined position, a safety stop normally positioned in said tube and movable therefrom at right angles thereto into the path of movement of said sleeve to limit the movement of the latter on said tube, an actuator rod positioned in said tube and extending from the lower end thereof when said cradle is in inclined position, said stop and the upper end of said actuator rod having complementary cam meanswhereby when said cradle is pivoted to upright position and the lower end of said actuator rod abuts against the floor, said rod will be forced upwardly in said tube, thereby camming said stop out of the path of movement of said sleeve, and means associated with said sleeve and coacting with said tube to retain said sleeve in fixed position on said tube.

2. A hand truck eomprisinga cradle, wheels rotatably mounted at the lower end of said cradle, support means connected to said cradle and pivotally displaceable with respect thereto, wheel means ,on said support. means, a track comprising aqhollow tube extending longitudinally of said cradle and rigid therewith, a sleevegslidably mounted onsaid tube. and operatively connected to said support means to displace the latterwith respect'to said cradle, whereby saidcradle may be moved to an inclined position, a bushing rigsupport means connected to said cradle and pi Jotally displaceable with-respect thereto, wheel means on said support means, a track comprisinga hollow tube extending longitudinally of said cradle and rigid therewith, a sleeve slidably idly' mounted in said tube near the'upperiendthereof, said bushing having a tranvserse bore -therethrough aligned with an opening in said tube, and a vertical bore leading intosaid transverse bore, a safety stop slidably mounted in said transverse bore and having a cam conformation,

resilient means in said transversebore normally urging said safety'stop therefrom into the path of movement of said sleeve,ya bushing rigidly mounted in said tube near the lower end thereof and having a vertical 'bore; therethrou'gh, an actuator rod' in. said tube slidably mounted in said bushings in the bore thereof, and-normally protruding beyond the lower end of said tube when said-cradle is in inclined position, means to limit the downward movement of said actuator rod and a complementary cam conformation at the upper end of said actuatorrod in engagement with the cam conformation on said safety stop whereby When-said cradleis pivoted to upright position and the lower end of said actuator rod abuts against the floor, said rod will be forced upwardly,,.therebycamming said safety, stop out of the path of movement of said sleeve:

3; The combination set forth in claim 2 in which the complementary cam conformation comprises a conical top at the upper end of said actuator rod and a conical depression in th underface' of said safety stop.

4. The combination-set forth in claim 2 in which means are provided to force said actuator rod downwardly in said tube.

mounted on said tube and operatively connected tosaid support means to displace the latter with respect tosaid cradle, whereby said cradle may be moved to an inclined position, a safety stop normally'positioned..:in saidtube andmovable therefrom at right angles thereto into the path of movement of said sleeve to limit the movement of the latter on said tube, means automatically actuated by pivoting the cradle from upright to inclined position to set said safety stop 'to operative position, and a latch pin slidably mounted insaid sleeve at right angles thereto and normally urged thereinto toward said tube. said tube'having an opening therethrough into which said latch pin may enter. HENRY E. SCHUTZER;

"RUDOLPH C. FROHNER."

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171,657 French Jan; 4,21876 672,152 Ruher Apr. 16,1901

1,358,235 Nylin Nov. 9, 1920 1,668,129 Spaeth' May 1, 1928 1,719,763 Gullborg July 2, 1929 2,030,925 Lea, Feb. 18, 1936 2,415,392 'Morehouse' Feb. 4,1947

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